LOUISVILLE, Ky. - North Florida men's basketball lit up the scoreboard from the field shooting 62.1%, including a 54.1% clip from three-point range, to dominate in its first Atlantic Sun win of the season against Bellarmine, 98-83, on Saturday evening.
The Ospreys had its highest field goal percentage of the season, as well as its best mark against an ASUN opponent since 2018 against Stetson. The same goes from its three-point shooting with its best mark against a conference foe since 2023 against the Hatters.
Jasai Miles facilitated the scoring for UNF with 20 points, to go along with seven boards, on 8-for-13 shooting and 3-for-6 from distance.
Liam Murphy and
Jaylen Smith also joined in double figures scoring, as Murphy was scorching hot from downtown shooting 6-for-9 from three.
UNF 98, BELL 83
RECORDS
North Florida | 8-9, 1-3 ASUN
Bellarmine | 3-14, 0-4 ASUN
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
First Half: After falling down two scores early, Smith nailed a three-pointer to give UNF its first points of the game...
Josh Harris went on to score the next four points before Smith returned with a layup, followed with a trey from
Nate Lliteras to tie it at 12 points...five combined three-pointers between Murphy and
Dante Oliver paired with another Smith score sparked a 25-9 run to go up by 11 points...
Oscar Berry made back-to-back threes to extend the lead before Miles put the score at 37-30 before the final media timeout of the first half...Murphy made another three-pointer to go along with a Lliteras slam dunk to go into the break up nine.
Second Half: Smith picked up where he left off in the first half with a quick score out of the break...he returned with a trey ball soon after, followed with another dunk from Miles...
Ametri Moss drained a three-pointer to join in on the #BirdsofTrey barrage...Miles and
Kamrin Oriol soon after his two more three-pointers to go up by 12 against the Knights...the next four made field goals for the Ospreys where all from range, including two from Murphy...Miles made two final threes down the stretch, including one in traffic to beat the shot clock, to finish off a 15-point ASUN win on the road.
LEADERS BY THE NUMBERS
UNF
Jasai Miles | 20 points, 7 rebounds
Liam Murphy | 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists
Jaylen Smith | 14 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds
BELL
Jack Karasinski | 27 points, 2 assists
Billy Smith | 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Ben Johnson | 13 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds
COACH'S THOUGHTS
NOTES
- Miles earned his 15th game in double figures of 17 played and his third over 20+ points.
- The sophomore also led the team in rebounds with a mark of seven total for the 10th time.
- Six three-pointers is a season-high mark for Murphy playing only 23 minutes off the bench.
- It was also his first game this year that every attempt from the field was a three-point shot.
- UNF showed its depth on Saturday, outscoring the Knights 41-17 off the bench.
UP NEXT
North Florida will makes its way home off a win to UNF Arena, where they will face Central Arkansas on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m.
